Rhetorica (Rhetoric) 

Editor: Here we have Rhetorica, also known as Rhetoric, an engraving by Virgil Solis. There isn't a specific date for this piece, but Solis was active during the Renaissance. The swirling clouds and central figure really create a dramatic feel. What do you see in this print? Curator: Immediately, I am drawn to the figure's contrapposto. The pronounced shift in weight creates a dynamic asymmetry, which is amplified by the swirling drapery. Notice the use of line, how it articulates form but also contributes to a sense of movement and energy, like the subject is literally in the middle of thinking up new rhetorical flourishes. How do you perceive the relationship between the figure and the landscape below? Editor: I find the stark contrast interesting – a chaotic, almost volatile sky against the more ordered cityscape. It makes the figure seem powerful, almost unbound by earthly concerns. Do you think the two cherubs relate to that as well? Curator: Indeed. The cherubs, one with an open book displaying the alphabet, highlight the foundational elements of rhetoric and language. They serve as both a literal and symbolic anchor to the act of discourse, a foundation of knowledge on which the elevated form relies. But beyond content, let's look at its structural relationships. Notice the mirroring between the lower architecture and upper atmospheric density, achieved via density of markings... Editor: So it's like a visual echo? Almost suggesting a symbiotic relationship, as if effective rhetoric springs from stable societies. Curator: Precisely. This print isn't merely decorative; it is an exploration of structure and visual relationships within the limits imposed by engraving. The density and directionality of marks creates a dynamic equilibrium that allows this small format to expand conceptually. Editor: That's fascinating. I had originally focused on just the drama of the image, but seeing it as an arrangement of formal relationships gives me so much more to think about. Curator: And, hopefully, to see in future works.